Jacinda Ardern is reminding New Zealanders to remain vigilant as the nation moves into Alert Level 3, urging people who feel the slightest bit unwell to get tested for Covid-19.
Today, New Zealand moved out of Level 4, meaning some lockdown restrictions have been lifted. The country will remain at Level 3 for at least two weeks before Cabinet makes a decision on May 11 as to whether restrictions will be eased further.
At Level 3, workers in some industries will get back on the job today including those in forestry, construction and some takeaway food outlets.
Schools will also open to students tomorrow after a teachers only day today.
But as New Zealand moves into Level 3, the Prime Minister this morning told TVNZ 1's Breakfast this was the "riskiest time because we're moving now into a phase where there will be more contact with one-another".
Currently New Zealand's Covid-19 transmission rate is 0.4, meaning that for every case of Covid-19 less than half a person is getting it - one of the lowest rates in the world. Many country's goal is to get below one.
Before the Level 4 lockdown, the country's transmission rate was closer to four, Ms Ardern said, adding "that put us in a really, really dangerous position".
Dr Siouxsie Wiles says while New Zealand has done well so far, we can’t let our efforts be in vain. (Source: Other)
However, she warned that contact tracing those cases has been easier at Alert Level 4 with people remaining in their household bubbles, but as we free up restrictions that will get more difficult.
"At the moment, the area that we are struggling is the time period from when someone becomes symptomatic, so from the time someone gets a sniffle or a sore throat, and the time they're taking to then go and get a test.
"Now I know New Zealanders and I know our psyche and we're ones to play down things like that and we don't want to be a burden on anyone.
"But as part of our team effort I need everyone the moment they get a sniffle, or the moment they have a scratchy throat or a cough the clock has started, and so to make sure that we have as much time possible to get everyone who you've had contact with back home we need you to get a test quickly.
"That's the area where we really need to up our game at the moment and I'm relying on the public to help us with that."
More than four weeks of Level 4 restrictions have ended. (Source: Other)
Meanwhile, the Government has more work to do to help those most vulnerable financially amid the pandemic, Ms Ardern said.
On Breakfast Ms Ardern reflected on the work done by the Government before the pandemic, including doubling the winter energy payment for people on low incomes or benefits which kicks in from May 1.
The Government also increased benefits for people on jobseeker support and introduced the wage subsidy scheme to keep people in work during the pandemic, she added.
"The job's not done though," Ms Ardern said. "But they've always been in our minds and our thinking and you can see that in the design of the packages that have been put out to date."
Breakfast host John Campbell asked if it was enough though, noting the Salvation Army put out more than 6000 food packages for needy people in one week of the lockdown.
"No, but nor is the job done," Ms Ardern admitted, also saying there's a $27 million investment to scale up support for social services, providing food and blankets to needy and also checking in with the Women's Refuge to make sure they have what they need.
"But we know there's more work to be done," she said.
A leading epidemiologist says it's safe for kids to go back. (Source: Other)
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